Opinion: Paintball League Merger Thoughts by Paul Richards

The third submission to the ProPaintball Merger discussion comes from Paul Richards. Prior to coaching Tampa Bay Damage to several pro victories in both the NPPL and PSP, Paul coached Docs Raiders and Detroit Strange. When not coaching several of the worlds best paintball players, Paul documents the development of competitive paintball on his blog, View from the Deadbox.

Paul was invited to the ProPaintball panel. As with the rest of our panelists, Paul was asked the following question:

What do you think about the failed negotiations between the NPPL and PSP? Is this good or bad for paintball, and why?

Here is Paul’s opinion:

Pro Paintball coach Paul Richards

“Competitive paintball has been here before. I am hopeful that this time the response will be different. The impetus to merge came from an industry desire for a unified flagship series for tournament paintball. Since that proved impossible the industry can accept the status quo (again) and keep doing what they’ve done in the past or they can make a change.

As to whether this is a good or bad thing for paintball, it’s no more than a bump along the road. Most of paintball isn’t affected. Whether this proves to be good or bad for competitive paintball will very likely depend on how the industry responds. I think there are sufficient important differences between the leagues that the industry, if it can cooperate, can make a critical move toward unifying competitive paintball internationally. A move that potentially paves the way for significant growth and official recognition around the world. The move the industry can make is to choose. Not to pick a winner but to pick a league to support, that it believes in above and beyond any other. That decision doesn’t preclude other leagues but it would give primacy to one league. And today that league ought to be the PSP.”

8 Responses

Could the leagues stay separate, but collaborate at the end of the season for a combined world cup? Similarly to the other pro sports like NFL and MLB. Some teams represent the certain league they would want to represent even some play in both.

Its a good idea if both leagues had the same rules but we dont and thats the problem. It wouldnt be a bad idea to have a split “division or conference” in the pros and make them race for the playoffs or something. As for right now it just couldnt work with the rules and formats being different.

Race To format without coaching for 2012. That’s what we need. Race To format means the better team usually wins. Eliminating coaching gets paintball back to it’s roots. Unite the leagues, let PSP run the operations and the NPPL can do that marketing.